Day 2 - 218 -- Work and Play

Friday -- a very full day at the end of a very full week. The projects on my desk became re-prioritized, so I began working on the one with the newer -- and much closer -- deadline. So far, things seem to be moving in the right direction. The day ended with dinner out with a friend followed by an evening at the local summer repertory theatre -- a great bit of relaxation between major work activities.

The play was "Outside Mullingar" by John Patrick Shanley. It takes place in rural Ireland, telling the tale of two families living on neighbouring farms. It developed characters well and showed their connection to the land on which they and their ancestors were raised. It is a story about interpersonal relationships between family members and neighbours. There is much to think about, but the play is not without some extremely funny scenes and dialogue. I will admit to being near suffocation once and also having to wipe away the tears from laughing so hard. The actors did decent Irish accents for the dialogue filled with Irish colloquialisms. It is worth seeing -- here if you are in the area, or anywhere else you may find this production.

The chorus of a song was sung a couple of times during the play. It sounds like an older folk song, yet appears to be written in the mid-20th century by an Irish-born songwriter. Many covers of this have been done since then. Today, I'd like to share two of these for their different arrangements and the joy of hearing the collective voices and harmonies. The first appears more traditional and brings together a wonderful mix of voices. The second version, by an unexpected group for this genre, includes somewhat traditional harmonies with a less unplugged accompaniment. Enjoy!

Wild Mountain Thyme -- Dick Gaughan, Emmylou Harris, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, and Rufus Wainwright

Wild Mountain Thyme -- The Byrds